Friday, December 26, 2008

Twas the Night Before Christmas


Twas the night before Christmas
...
When out over the lawn there arose such a clatter


While you and I enjoyed Christmas Eve, these airmen were flying through the skies to provide cover for our forces defending life and liberty on the ground.

104

What is 104?

The number of presents I (we) received? The amount of money we spent? The number of dinner guests we had? The combined number of pounds we all gained? Nope... none of the above.

Try my wife's temperature. My entire family is sick. My spouse is camped out in bed with the stomach flu. My youngest daughter has occupied the downstairs couch and has strep throat and pink eye (that was 2 trips to the ER, one on Christmas Eve and the other today). My oldest is floating around but still recovering from walking pneumonia.

I am thankful that it didn't all kick in until after we made candlelight services last night. We visited the local congregation in Alexandria last night, which has turned out to be the highlight of the Christmas holiday for us. This is the first time I've fed my kids McDonalds on Christmas and partaken myself of a protein bar. I looked at the ingredients in the fridge, but didn't have a clue how my wife was planning to assemble them, and didn't have a great deal of confidence in my ability to follow up on her plan anyway...so I'm thankful McD's was open until 2pm today.

The biggest impact for us is likely that our trip to Tennessee to visit my mother and then to Dollywood is likely off. We'll see how the weekend progresses.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Angels We Have Heard (of) on High





"Fear not," then said the Angel,
"let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might."
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
-- O Tidings of Comfort and Joy vs 4



Angels from the realm of glory -- here is a great feel good story for Christmas. I was thinking as I read this story, it would be a good response to some advertisements I've seen on metro busses in the DC area asking why would any one believe in God sponsored by some group of so called progressives that are against religious faith. Hmm... I'm glad God continues to believe in what He is doing on our behalf even when His own children won't acknowledge His grace and glory.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Encounter

When I drove down to Alabama I made a stop to take some pictures on Roan Mountain Tennessee. At the foot of the trail that ascended the peak from where this photo was taken from, I met a family resting having just hiked that section of the Appalachian trail. There was a tall middle aged bearded man, very thin, almost gaunt with what looked to be years of experience already lining his face. With him was a young boy, maybe eight years old looking quiet tired and solemn. His wife was somewhat more rounded out with long brown hair. All were dressed in well worn trail clothing with several layers as it was quiet chilly that day. I stopped to speak with him. He had quite a story to tell.

He is a former Marine who served as an explosive ordinance technician. He shared that during a training evolution he had to jump off a bridge to avoid the concussion of an ill timed explosion and injured his back. He was told he would never walk again, but his spirit undaunted, he began a long road back that was now seeing him walking the AT. However, his spinal column is damaged and leaking fluid which he said will claim his life within the next few years. When he shared the news with his family, they asked what he wanted to do, and he said he would like to hike the entire AT before he died. His family joined him. He had completed the hike shortly before I saw him. They were redoing the TN/NC section as it was his favorite section.

There are those people you meet and forget. And then there are those you will remember forever.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Back Where I Come From

This past year I enjoyed several trips to East Tennessee. The last one, was passing through on my way to Montgomery for SOS. As I stood overlooking one of the numerous mountain ridges, it dawned on me that this was the first fall I have spent any portion of in East Tennessee since 1995. I pulled out my camera and took as many photos as possible. Some are captured in this video along with some others from the last year of my trips back home.

I love the Air Force and I love my job -- but there are times I really miss my mountains.


Merry Christmas friends and family in East Tennessee

Friday, December 12, 2008

Graduation

0700 tomorrow - one last walk for SOS - this time across the stage for graduation. Then a long drive to Mom's for some celebration! She is cancer free! Saturday I should be back home with my wife and kids.

The picture is of a helicopter parked on the ramp here at Maxwell near the flickerball fields. When I attended the dedication of the 9/11 memorial for the Pentagon this past fall, it was mentioned that the last Army troop to board a helicopter in Vietnam during the evacuation from Saigon was killed sitting at his desk at the Pentagon. It was this helicopter that he boarded. It truly is a small world.

It will be good to be home; to see my family. I'm especially looking forward to Tuesday when my oldest daughter has her band concert. She makes me so proud in so many ways.

Monday, December 08, 2008

Light at End of the Tunnel

Whew! It has been a busy last six weeks. Climbing over Project X obstacles, writing papers, doing briefings, and taking the hardest test I have ever taken in my entire academic career but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Had one major bump in the road. Got injured but after some good medication from the doc here and some rest on the physical side of things I am on the mend and think I'll be back up enough to resume my duties at Arlington without any hitch, but I probably won't be running for a few weeks yet.

One of the most meaningful events for me was when I was asked to provide an invocation for the class during a POW remembrance ceremony following our last flickerball game (operation).

Friday I should be on the way back toward home and family in time for the holidays.

It was tough but definitely worth the time and effort. I learned a great deal that I think will help make me more productive as an Air Force officer.